Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dealu Cost of Living Comparison Between Medellin and Dealu

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $1,618 in Medellin versus $1,080 in Dealu.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $2,460 in Medellin versus $1,831 in Dealu.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $3,302 in Medellin versus $2,581 in Dealu.

Living in Medellin is roughly 50% more expensive than in Dealu, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

The two cities straddle the global median: Medellin is 19% above, Dealu is 20% below.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$7.69 COP 24.6K

$14.69 RON 66.9

-47.65%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$43.28 COP 138.2K

$89.0 RON 405

-51.35%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.50 COP 30.4K

$8.76 RON 39.89

8.45%

Cappuccino

$2.81 COP 8,973

$2.13 RON 9.71

31.92%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.84 COP 5,862

$2.08 RON 9.46

-11.54%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.51 COP 4,813

$1.98 RON 9.01

-23.74%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$3.08 COP 9,849

$2.70 RON 12.30

14.07%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.49 COP 17.5K

$3.30 RON 15.04

66.36%

Milk (1 liter)

$1.34 COP 4,293

$1.81 RON 8.25

-25.97%

White Bread (500g)

$2.31 COP 7,363

$1.42 RON 6.45

62.68%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$1.47 COP 4,692

$1.79 RON 8.16

-17.88%

Eggs

$2.69 COP 8,583

$4.86 RON 22.11

-44.65%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$8.87 COP 28.3K

$8.73 RON 39.75

1.60%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$10.64 COP 34.0K

$5.49 RON 25.00

93.81%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$14.47 COP 46.2K

$10.36 RON 47.14

39.67%

Apples (1kg)

$3.75 COP 12.0K

$1.15 RON 5.25

226.09%

Banana (1kg)

$1.39 COP 4,429

$1.59 RON 7.22

-12.58%

Oranges (1kg)

$2.22 COP 7,096

$1.67 RON 7.59

32.93%

Tomato (1kg)

$1.98 COP 6,324

$2.75 RON 12.50

-28.00%

Potato (1kg)

$2.05 COP 6,562

$0.75 RON 3.40

173.33%

Onion (1kg)

$1.60 COP 5,109

$0.67 RON 3.06

138.81%

Lettuce (1 head)

$1.04 COP 3,327

$0.75 RON 3.40

38.67%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.27 COP 4,052

$0.86 RON 3.91

47.67%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$3.75 COP 12.0K

$5.53 RON 25.18

-32.19%

Wine (Bottle)

$13.10 COP 41.8K

$6.45 RON 29.38

103.10%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$1.58 COP 5,035

$1.50 RON 6.85

5.33%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$3.02 COP 9,642

$1.99 RON 9.06

51.76%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$1.17 COP 3,730

$0.71 RON 3.21

64.79%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$76.0 COP 242.6K

$22.20 RON 101

242.16%

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$1.50 COP 4,800

$0.63 RON 2.88

138.10%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$2.09 COP 6,662

$0.66 RON 3.00

216.67%

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$8.10 COP 25.9K

$6.74 RON 30.66

20.18%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.26 COP 4,032

$1.76 RON 8.03

-28.41%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$26.9K COP 85.9M

$29.3K RON 133.2K

-8.08%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$34.9K COP 111.4M

$29.1K RON 132.5K

19.88%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$148 COP 473.7K

$109 RON 496

36.13%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$13.03 COP 41.6K

$11.11 RON 50.6

17.28%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$31.48 COP 100.5K

$4.98 RON 22.65

532.13%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$45.50 COP 145.3K

$37.64 RON 171

20.88%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$17.02 COP 54.3K

$21.29 RON 96.9

-20.06%

Cinema Ticket

$6.32 COP 20.2K

$11.18 RON 50.9

-43.47%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$837 COP 2.7M

$606 RON 2,760

38.03%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$8,663 COP 27.7M

$6,433 RON 29.3K

34.66%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$88.8 COP 283.6K

$66.2 RON 302

34.04%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$54.9 COP 175.4K

$37.49 RON 171

46.52%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$134 COP 429.5K

$130 RON 591

3.65%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$108 COP 345.9K

$110 RON 499

-1.12%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$939 COP 3.0M

$451 RON 2,054

108.19%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$646 COP 2.1M

$263 RON 1,198

145.55%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,941 COP 6.2M

$708 RON 3,224

173.99%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,126 COP 3.6M

$539 RON 2,452

109.07%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$3,638 COP 11.6M

$2,159 RON 9,831

68.50%

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$1,553 COP 5.0M

$1,446 RON 6,581

7.42%

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$628 COP 2.0M

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

10.43

6.97

49.64%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Medellin: August 3, 2026

Last update for Dealu: August 3, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $939 in Medellin and $451 in Dealu. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Dining out: $43.00 in Medellin vs $89.0 in Dealu. Groceries flip the comparison at $291 vs $221, with Dealu cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Medellin vs Dealu: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Dealu is cheaper overall, especially in Groceries & Markets, Clothing & Footwear, Getting Around, Monthly Utilities & Internet. The 50% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

You'd need roughly $2,427 in Medellin and $1,621 in Dealu to live well. The gap comes down to housing and overall price levels. Both cities are liveable on less, but these numbers represent actual comfort.

Rent for a central apartment: $939 in Medellin versus $451 in Dealu. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Dining out is cheaper in Dealu – a meal for two runs $89.0 versus $43.00 in Medellin. If you eat out regularly, this makes a real dent in your monthly spending.

All in, you'll spend $1,618 per month in Medellin versus $1,080 in Dealu – a 50% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $1,080 in Dealu versus $1,618 in Medellin, a $1,500 budget is realistic in Dealu but tight or insufficient in Medellin. The gap between the two cities makes Dealu the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

For families, Dealu is more practical. Housing and childcare are both notably cheaper than in Medellin, and the savings on those two alone free up budget for education, activities, and family trips.

Safety-wise, Medellin and Dealu are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Dealu gentler on the wallet – expenses run 50% less than in Medellin. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.